Racer Mattias Ekström pilots specially equipped version of first fully-electric Audi up the steepest section of Kitzbühel’s Streif downhill course.

Audi has sent its first fully electric-powered SUV onto the Austrian slopes where the world’s best ski racers battle for victory in the Hahnenkamm Race.

The specially equipped Audi e-tron climbed the ‘Mausefalle’ on the legendary Streif downhill ski course in Kitzbühel, Austria. With an 85 per cent gradient, it is the steepest section of the spectacular downhill course.

Peter Oberndorfer, Head of Product and Technology Communications, Audi AG, says: “We proved the mettle of the electric SUV last year in a number of Audi e-tron extreme events. From Pikes Peak to the salt plains of Namibia to the high-voltage test bay in Berlin – the Audi e-tron prototype mastered the greatest of challenges. With the sensational drive up the ‘Mausefalle’ we have pushed the boundaries even further and demonstrated all the technical possibilities of quattro technology in an electric car.”

To climb this passage, the Audi e-tron technology demonstrator was equipped with a special quattro powertrain with two electric motors on the rear axle and one electric motor on the front axle. The technology demonstrator achieved a total boost output of up to 370 kW and wheel torque of 8,920 Nm (6,579.1 lb-ft) to ensure full performance on the steep gradient. Audi also modified the software with respect to drive torque and torque distribution for the special conditions on the Streif. 19-inch wheels with spikes developed specifically for this driving event provided the necessary grip on snow and ice.

Mattias Ekström, the World Rallycross champion and two-time DTM winner who was behind the wheel of the Audi e-tron technology demonstrator adds: “Conquering an 85 per cent gradient sounds impossible at first. Even I was impressed with the way this car handles such difficult terrain.”